Sun Songs at Dusk & Dawn
As the sun rises and falls, we mark the beginning and end of the day with a moving, site-specific sonic artwork.
These special, liminal, transitional times of day invite reflection – and these works have been developed to complement that experience, creating a sonic ritualised time and space for us to pause, listen and be in the moment.
Sun Songs at Fed Square is celebration of place and time, as our city awakens, opens up and emerges at dawn, and then winds down with a sense of resolve, as the dusk signals the transition to night.
About the work
Sun Songs at Fed Square is a newly commissioned artwork created by sonic artists David Franzke and Geoffrey Nees with lighting design by Ben Cobham (Blue Bottle).
This series of evolving pieces will mark sunrise and sunset in the form of an ongoing sonic artwork ritual.
Beginning with the Square’s conceptual and architectural foundation, the soundscape reflects and enhances the aesthetics of the surrounding buildings. The work voices the futurism and optimism reflected in the structures aspirations by tying them to an uplifting and rejuvenating shared emotional experience.
Although the thoughtful application of sound in public spaces has a long and rich history, it is often overlooked and underestimated by contemporary designers.
This work brings back the power of sonic ritual to the cultural and civic heart of Melbourne.
The creative team
Geoff Nees is a Melbourne-based artist and curator with over 20 years of professional practice. Geoff has established a cross-disciplinary approach to his work, with an emphasis on collaboration, exploring the intersection between art, design, music and architecture. Geoff has worked with many leading Australian and international architects and designers. He has delivered large-scale facade designs, sculptures, screens and temporary architectural projects for major property developments, arts festivals, hotels and private clients, including the façade for the Australia Pavilion at the Japan World Expo 2005. Geoff’s collaborative project “Botanical Pavilion” with Japanese architect Kengo Kuma was recently featured as part of the NGV’s 2020 Triennial.
J David Franze is a composer and sound designer who lives and works in Melbourne. His work spans film, theatre and visual art installations as well as the production of numerous albums, both as solo works and in collaboration with other composers and sound artists. He has worked with many of Australia’s pre-eminent theatre directors, visual artists and composers and has collaborated with Cologne-based composer Bernd Friedmann since 1996 on various album projects.